Mutt & Jeff by Bud Fisher for May 19, 2022

There’s a proper time to talk about grammar, and Mutt ain’t got the hang of it.

Bum at lady’s door asks for money:

She says, “I have some work to be done. Do you see that woodpile over there?”

“Yeah, I seen it,”

“No, you saw it. I saw you see it.”

“Lady, you may have seen me see it, but you ain’t gonna see me saw it.”

Mutt just seen stars.

Speaking of grammar, teacher asks little boy where’s his homework and he says “I done forgot it and left it at home”. She replies “Where’s your grammar?”. He says, “She done lives in Cleveland”.

Mutt was a Doughboy in the First World War.

Grammar vs. safety.

How about “I’ve just seen”, present perfect? The preterit suggests Jeff saw him once in the past and not again. The present perfect suggests present consequences.

I think it’s hysterical that Mutt is correcting “seen,” but then says “ain’t”!